Vick benching has been a long time coming

If Howard Eskin’s report of the impending Vick-for-Nick switch in Philly is accurate, it’s not something that just popped into coach Andy Reid’s head in recent days.

A source with knowledge of the dynamics in Philly over the past two seasons believes firmly that Reid has been considering benching Vick since the middle of last season, when the Eagles slumped to a 3-6 start. Reid was hoping, we’re told, that former backup Vince Young would play well enough during a three-game injury absence from Vick to justify doing to Vick what Reid did to Kevin Kolb in 2010.

Young didn’t.

Regardless of when or if Vick gets benched, it’s now becoming a foregone conclusion that Vick won’t be back in 2013, especially at a salary of $15.5 million.

And for those of you asking whether the Eagles would trade Vick, given the two-day extension to the trade deadline, here’s a great point raised by a source with direct knowledge of the situation: “Who would trade for him?”

That’s a great question. The Vikings arguably could use him, but they’re tied to 2011 first-rounder Christian Ponder. (Besides, we think Joe Webb is a much better Plan B. And a better Plan A.)

Of all of the potential contenders, only the Cardinal would potentially be interested in Vick. And that’s still unlikely.

So look for Vick to finish the season with Philly, unless the Eagles decide to simply cut him. If they don’t cut him during the season, they’ll surely cut him right after the Super Bowl.

Yeah um…why are the Vikings tagged in this? Ponder is our guy and Vick is old, can’t keep possession of the ball, and generally a very very very unlikeable guy in a market of generally very very very likable people. You answered your own question.

possiblecabbage says:Oct 29, 2012 3:33 PM

“Of all of the potential contenders, only the Cardinal would potentially be interested in Vick. And that’s still unlikely.”

I don’t think NCAA rules allow Stanford to trade for Mike Vick.

illadelphiasphinest says:Oct 29, 2012 3:33 PM

I feel bad for Vick. He is paying for Andy Reid’s mistakes. The personell decisions are bad on the O-line. The play calling is terrible. Its a shame….

Don’t believe it. Reid would not have (1) gone into a season naming a QB his starter (2) not believing in him & (3) knowing his fate was tied to him. Reid is known for his shrewdness with QB’s not a fool.

This is such utter crap to dog Vick (no pun intended). They have no offensive line and he is playing on a freeway. Name the QB who would do better under these extreme circumstances.

eaglesfan29 says:Oct 29, 2012 3:35 PM

Well benching Vick should help the Oline get better and maybe they can start blocking the defense can get to the other team QB for some sacks or maybe cause some turnovers. Maybe Nnandi can stop getting burned maybe Mccoy can get the ball more than 20 times a game. Maybe the play calling will change. What the hell Andy should be the one getting bench, how put andy Big A$$ behing that line and see how long he last

chipwade says:Oct 29, 2012 3:36 PM

In all fairness to Vick, no QB could honestly perform with no time in the pocket.

Vick should never had been signed to a big contract,at best he is nothing but a second string QB,he has not been able to grasp reading defences,and that is why he pulls the ball down and runs and takes too many hits.He is old and should be demoted,I think he has killed any chance for Reid to keep his job,it is not all Vicks fault,the O-line is pathetic,as for Reid he has to take the blame for bringing Vick in.

nflgiant says:Oct 29, 2012 3:43 PM

This team is ready for a complete meltdown,8-8 at best,Reid is finished.

peopletrains says:Oct 29, 2012 3:44 PM

I would sympathize with those who say its the O’Line’s fault, but frankly, Vick holds the ball too long and has done it his entire career. Its the West Coast Offense; the ball needs to be out faster. The Eagles need a spark and the only way they will be able to get it is by putting in Foles.

Hahahahah. I completely forgot. Reid thought Vick and Young were both good QB’s. I cannot imagine more evidence being needed that Reid needs to go.

melsh13 says:Oct 29, 2012 3:45 PM

Give Andy Reid a few years, maybe he can take over for another Vick casualty when Jim Mora, Jr. flames out at UCLA.

amoose3 says:Oct 29, 2012 3:46 PM

Vick has definitely made more than his fair share of mistakes. But there are several other problems and while Foles looks like he could be a great starter at some point, hes still just a rookie. If the play-calling and offensive line don’t improve it wont really matter whose playing QB. I really think benching Vick should be a last resort especially considering he had a decent performance Sunday and cant be blamed for giving up 30 points. If this happens, it will really look like Reid is just throwing everyone else overboard.

This news media is garbage, Vick is not the issue and maybe a change is needed to prove that. The rookie probably will look sharp at first but the loses will continue to pile up because the O line and lack of defense will to much to over come. This dumb media ask the question about a qb change since week 3, now since Mike said that Reid is probably got it on his mind then in the media eyes it constitutes throwing in the towel….unbelievable!

patriots123456 says:Oct 29, 2012 3:47 PM

Trade him to the Jets, they like left-handed quarterbacks.

He can block on punts, thus relieving Tebow to concentrate on his two running plays per game, that he is graciously allotted.

Besides the NY Media has nothing to talk about lately.

bobbyhoying says:Oct 29, 2012 3:47 PM

Trade Vick for Tebow.

iprobablybangyouruglyasswife says:Oct 29, 2012 3:48 PM

I love to see how people give Vick the “no one can perform without time in the pocket” excuse but the second someone suggests that about Mark Sanchez the place goes nuts

If Reid thought that V. Young was really going to help his football team, then maybe he has lost a little of his fastball and needs some time off to mentally rebuild what has always been considered a strong football mind.

If it’s a “long time coming”. Who’s going to take responsibility? 100 million dollar contract and they were concerned a year and a half through it? He’s filling the seats isn’t he! That’s why they did this in the first place. Everyone knew this was a stupid move in the first place and now those that made the decision should have to pay the price. GM, coach, owner, all of them. A fool and their money are soon parted. Nobody is going to pick this guy up. If they do, they’re even dumber.

nomoreseasontix says:Oct 29, 2012 3:50 PM

You’ll see Vick with a clipboard in his hand from now on.
Maybe.
#coachkiller

From a fan’s point of view benching Vick might recharge the offense but from a managements point of view (Reid) an unproven QB could finally cost Reid his job. PUT IN FOLES and put Reid out with the trash!!!

This whole debacle will most certainly be the end of Andy’s tenure in Philly. I think a fresh start for him elsewhere will be good for him and the Eagles. And as for Foles, the kid looked good in preseason, I hope he does well.

Vick should never had been signed to a big contract,at best he is nothing but a second string QB,he has not been able to grasp reading defences,and that is why he pulls the ball down and runs and takes too many hits.He is old and should be demoted,I think he has killed any chance for Reid to keep his job,it is not all Vicks fault,the O-line is pathetic,as for Reid he has to take the blame for bringing Vick in.

——————-

Yeah, Vick is definitely not a 2nd string QB. Have you forgotten some of the starting QB’s in this league? And pulling the ball down and running isn’t the reason Vick is taking so many hits. Vick is getting smacked every play IN THE POCKET. Some people don’t watch games.

# 1. Who is The Cardinal? Guru GM? The Catholics have a team we don’t know about?

#2. The Arizona Cardinals don’t need any more Eagles reject QBs

#3. Why wouldn’t KC be a player for Vick?

blackngold4life says:Oct 29, 2012 3:56 PM

Philly has a top 5 running back and refuses to use him.. even with that bad On-line the boy is Bad! But they wana put a rookie QB behind that?! LMMFAO really? Its not pre season any more. Now if the Eagle’s are Quitting already maybe..too many games left. And what’s the obsessions with Reid and Eagles fans? Unless your happy with NFCeast championships y’all ain’t did nothing since Jaws was QB.

tsizzlehotpiss says:Oct 29, 2012 3:57 PM

The Chiefs or Cardinals would possibly be interested in trading for Vick. The QB situations for both franchises are dire.

If the Eagles had an offensive line that could block and pass protect like an all pro line then how would Vick do ? Micheal Vick gets hit anywhere from 15 to 20 times a game behind the line of scrimmage, he is shell shocked. Nick Foles won’t do any better as he is not mobile, with this offensive line. Look at how much time Atlanta’s Matt Ryan gets to pick a part defenses. The NY Jets would be a good fit for Vick but that won’t happen, this season. Vick would have to restructure his contract with any team.

jgedgar70 says:Oct 29, 2012 4:01 PM

I hope this rumor is false. I don’t want Vick benched until after the Carolina game. The Eagles are just jacked up enough that we could beat them, and the Chiefs, to beat the 2 wins of the 2010 team. But if the Eagles put a better QB out there now, we can’t beat them.

bennyb82 says:Oct 29, 2012 4:01 PM

Cowboys and Eagles should trade Romo for Vick straight up. Honestly, what could go wrong??

liamj55 says:Oct 29, 2012 4:01 PM

if you look at the contract he didn’t make as much as you think. If they cut him after next season they only paid him around 30 million which is 10 per year he made as a starter. In those years he won one division title, went 8-8 and whatever happens this year. Seems even to me…

Steviemo, the answer to your question is ANY qb who can read a defense. Vick comes to the line and has no clue what he’s looking at. He doesn’t know how to recognize a blitz and find the hot route. So yes, any qb who can read a defense would be better then Vick.

Wait, the Cardinals? Interested in an Eagles castoff? Didn’t they already fall for this once? I think it’s safe to say the Cardinals are not on the list of teams interested in signing a former Eagles quarterback.

Why would the Vikings be the first team to come to mind to trade for Vick? They’re going to give up on Ponder, who they drafted in the first round a year ago and who you said was the one of the top two QBs from that draft three weeks ago, because he’s had a couple of bad games? This team is building with youth through the draft. There is no way they would ever consider trading for Vick.

shlort says:Oct 29, 2012 4:08 PM

Give Vick a chance to play elsewhere? Who would actually trade anything for him? Maybe if he were released outright, but no team will pick up his contract as it is.

If you think Vick is a better than average or sub-average QB, you dont know the game. Mike Vicks stats speak volumes about his ability at the position.

Vick used to be able to make a play with his feet, whick opened up some passing success for him. Now teams just dare him to beat them with his arm… career over.

People can stop with the O-line comments. That O-line is decent enough if they had a QB that knew what play he just called. Vick takes way too long in the pocket and tries to scramble way too much. Todays QB has about 2.5 seconds to decide where he is going with the football, not the 5 seconds that you all think Vick should have. That equates to his lack of success in the games he plays. He isnt sneaking up on anyone anymore because he cant. His ability is brought front and center and he has little.

wherezwaldo says:Oct 29, 2012 4:08 PM

If you let Vick be Vick there would be no problem. Turning dude into a pocket Qb was a bad idea. Nick Foles is the Qb of the future for this club, if the pre-season holds any merit…

Going back to when he was drafted by the Falcons I never thought of Ron Mexico as anything other than RB with a cannon arm.

He could’ve evolved into a real QB but he was a lazy slug who was too busy torturing/killing animals to learn the art reading defenses.

I guess he deserves some ‘credit’ though because he effectively impersonated a real QB in 2010 and conned the Eagles into signing him to a ridiculous contract….after which he reverted to the QB he was in Atlanta.

I know this will not likely happen,but if he gets cut as a Redskin fan i would love to pick him up for league min next year. Then we could all watch as D Coords across the league crapped there pants at RG3 and Vick in the backfield Together,either in an option set, wild cat set or as a decoy,that would be a nightmare for the League.

How many times shall we visit this topic? NO SCRAMBLING QB WILL EVER TAKE YOU TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE! No vick, young, griffin, newton(who is next to be benched) or any other scrambling kid coming out of college. Nope, no way, aint gonna happen. Pocket passers have always gotten the job done, bet on it!

He really should be happy that A Reid gave him a chance after the drama he created for himself. At this time, Vick created this monster with all the fumbling, Int’s. He got paid, just keep your mouth shut and run to the bank.

rajbais says:Oct 29, 2012 4:17 PM

I am rooting for Nick Foles to not do that well if given the job.

I’m not a bad guy for doing that, but Andy Reid’s presence is annoying and less workable than ever before.

It’s just that he coaches like a guy that doesn’t want to do what helps the team win.

He looks like he cares more about showing his inner (although declining) football genius than doing the right things regardless of whose idea it is.

I do not want the Eagles to bench Vick this week. The next game is against the Saints. The Saints defense is very porous and the Saints have a habit of making rookie quarterbacks look like 1st ballot hall of famers. They have a better chance of beating the Eagles with Vick as the qb.

Stop with the 100 million dollar contract,he won’t even get half of that,I think it was approx 45 million,after taxes,lawyers,creditors,dog treats he’ll be lucky to have anything left..I also don’t think apt here’s a team in the league that could use him,seriously go thru the teams,most have there qb situation set,maybe the raiders? That’s about it

Awesome it’s all Vick’s fault apparently. That’s just like Andy Reid he loves to hang guys out to dry when he fails, this should all be on Reid not Vick.

Vick takes a beating every game yet he keeps getting up and giving it his all. His teammates respect him his coaches should as well. Reid is the problem here he’s lost this team it’s time to blow things up.

Vick won’t be here next year but history should attribute the failure of the 2012 Eagles to Andrew Walter Reid.

Sanchez for Vick trade makes a lot of sense. The Jets get an upgrade in QB that is suited for their ground and pound scheme. The Eagles save a few million on the cap and get a back-up QB that maybe Reid can trade down the road.

tfavrat says:Oct 29, 2012 4:55 PM

Vick’s problems as a QB haven’t changed since he wore a Falcons jersey. While he has a strong arm and great wheels, he is not consistently accurate and his decision making is average at best. But Vick’s problems do not immediately invalidate Cam or RG3’s futures. If either of those guys can make good decisions and throw accurately on time, they will be monsters due to their mobility.

Nick Foles, behind the same O-Line in pre-season was lighting the world on fire, even against 1st teams. Sure, its pre-season, but Vick didn’t do squat against the same 1st teams, and didn’t do squat against anyone in the regular season.

Scapegoat #1- def. cord Castillo
Scapegoat #2-Vick
Both men deserve some of the blame, however, the main problem remains Andy Reid. He choose Castillo to run his defense. He choose to give Vick the starting job and a lot of money. He is the one responsible for the underperforming 1st round picks. He had some success, unfortunately the time for a change has come. Lets see how many more scapegoats are sacrificed.

2) He would be just what the vikings need right now. a) His running would complement the aging Adrian Peterson. b) The vikings could bench their young pup until he learns what he is supposed to do. c) Vick might spark the go slow vikings.

3) How else will the vikings ever get a good QB? They have never drafted and developed a good QB (Tarkenton of ages ago was traded by the Giants). The vikings always use cast off QB’s from elsewhere.

4) The trouble with a vikings trade is “What do the vikings have that the Eagles would want in return?” The only answer is future draft picks.

baloneyjohn says:Oct 29, 2012 5:50 PM

I think the O/L needs help
The play calling is horrible. Run McCoy more
Stop allowing Vick from running around like a headless chicken.
Fire every body including the hot dog vendors.

You have to keep in mind, Vick’s line is in shambles. Andy needs to consider that when putting a young guy in that situation. Vick wasn’t the problem on Sunday…it was the defense. I don’t care how good the QB is, if the defense can’t get off the field.

amehta256 says:Oct 29, 2012 6:56 PM

Sorry but you don’t bench a guy like Vick unless your desperate to save your job.

cereal blogger says:Oct 29, 2012 7:09 PM

Banking on a 3rd rounder who played Ok in the preseason…..ehh.

runtheball says:Oct 29, 2012 7:11 PM

What’s worse that they have continued to make excuses for the guy, or that they bid against themselves and gave him the huge contract?

If he is benched right after the Falcons, it would be the biggest case of poetic justice…for this Falcons fan.

vikesfansteve says:Oct 29, 2012 8:47 PM

Vick, Harvin, Peterson, Rudolf & Simpson would be a great offense. Ponder has those happy feet & he starts running and takes 20 steps and still in the same spot like a cartoon. Ponder will be like TJAC & be 5 wasted years trying to reach potential or Gannon who only got good 5 years after being traded.

Vick is making more plays then any other qb could with his horrendous blocking from the oline. perhaps rg3 would do as good. he takes a two step drop and he already has to scramble even tho he has a 5 stop drop drawn up

they also need to let Vick run! they made him think like a pocket passer. he never wants to run. when there is no pressure, run then slide. this will hold this will hold the safeties then hit them deep. copy redskins playbook. they running it good

datageek94 says:Oct 29, 2012 11:31 PM

There are some posts here from persons who have selected rather gross and inappropriate logins. Moderator: Please delete their posts.

Guys: Have a little class please.

Oh, and Andy Reid’s mistake was to hitch his wagon to a guy that’s never been a quarterback, just a guy blessed with a phenominal talent who can’t or won’t learn to play quarterback in the NFL.

I think Andy Reid and the Eagles are running out of excuses of why they are terrible. Mike Vick lowest passer rating throws tons of interceptions most fumbles by any QB sounds like a winning combination to me.

Maybe Vick shouldn’t have spent so much on his wedding. I knew he was gonna need that million. If he was in the NBA it would be cool. They have guaranteed contract, but in the NFL the only thing guaranteed is your signing bonus. Every year after that is a year-to-year basis deal.

What I want to know is how it is that Romo can have a 5 pick and 4 Pick game and Orton backing him up yet no QB controversy?? But the PHilly phans are gung ho to bench 4X Pro bowler Vick for Nick Foles??? You’ve gotta be kidding me. There’s no way you toss this season into the can being just 1 game under .500 when history has proven nobody runs away with the NFC bEast!!! Patience is a virtue

orivar says:Nov 2, 2012 3:56 PM

Marty Morningweg’s fire has been a long time coming. If Juan can get fired so soon, why is Marty still around?

Vikings change to Joe Webb? No DUH! Unfortunately that would take the coaching staff surrendering their offensive egos and dropping the illusion the Vikings are or could be made into the 1985 Chicago Bears. Christian Ponder is no Jim McMahon! Make the change and take a chance with the extremely talented Webb Leslie!

melissasmith1596 says:Nov 5, 2012 12:51 PM

I am a huge animal lover, so I have little to no respect for Mike Vick as a man, but I feel for him as a football player. It’s quite obvious that he lost his motivation and love for the game after the whole prison thing. There used to be a fire in his eyes when he played the game, now all I seem to ever see is defeat. Honestly, I don’t even think he tries his best. There is no passion there. Vick is a veteran QB with a lot of knowledge for the game, so maybe his place should be as a back up for a better team. That way he can still contribute without being in the lime light so much.